Chapter IV.

What is said of the value of discretion in Holy
Scripture.

Such is discretion, which
is not only the “light of the body,” but also called the
sun by the Apostle, as it said “Let not the sun go down upon your
wrath.”11681168Eph. iv. 26. It is also
called the guidance of our life: as it said “Those who have no
guidance, fall like leaves.”11691169Prov. xi. 14 (LXX.). It is most
truly named counsel, without which the authority of Scripture allows us
to do nothing, so that we are not even permitted to take that spiritual
“wine which maketh glad the heart of man”11701170Ps. ciii.
(civ.) 15. without its regulating control: as it is
said “Do everything with counsel, drink thy wine with
counsel,”11711171Prov. xxxi. 3 (LXX.). and again
“like a city that has its walls destroyed and is not fenced in,
so is a man who does anything without counsel.”11721172Prov. xxv. 28 (LXX.). And how injurious the absence of this is
to a monk, the illustration and figure in the passage quoted shows, by
comparing it to a city that is destroyed and without walls. Herein lies
wisdom, herein lies intelligence and understanding without which our
inward house cannot be built, nor can spiritual riches be gathered
together, as it is said: “A house is built with wisdom, and again
it is set up with intelligence. With understanding the storehouses are
filled with all precious riches and good things.”11731173Prov. xxiv. 3, 4 (LXX.). This I say is “solid food,”
which can only be taken by those who are full grown and strong, as it
is said: “But solid food is for full grown men, who by reason of
use have their senses exercised to discern good and
evil.”11741174Heb. v. 14. And it is shown
to be useful and necessary for us, only in so far as it is in
accordance with the word of God and its powers, as is said “For
the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, and reaching even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of
both joints and marrow, and a discerner
310of the
thoughts and intents of the heart:”11751175Heb. iv. 12. and by this
it is clearly shown that no virtue can possibly be perfectly acquired
or continue without the grace of discretion. And so by the judgment of
the blessed Antony as well as of all others it has been laid down that
it is discretion which leads a fearless monk by fixed stages to God,
and preserves the virtues mentioned above continually intact, by means
of which one may ascend with less weariness to the extreme summit of
perfection, and without which even those who toil most willingly cannot
reach the heights of perfection. For discretion is the mother of all
virtues, as well as their guardian and regulator.